The sign for "restroom" is an alternate (somewhat more polite) way of signing "bathroom." Use an "R" handshape and make a movement similar to the sign for double digit numbers (such as 22, 33, 44, etc.). If you are right-handed, the movement of RESTROOM looks as if you are drawing the lowercase letter "n" in the air with the tip of an R-handshape. If you are left-handed the movement is to the left.
RESTROOM:
https://youtu.be/_dvihXsQz2E
Question:
Good afternoon! I don't know if this is the right email to send this question to, but I'll give it a shot. First of, I love your website! It's really helped me expand my vocabulary. Second, I have a question about the sign for "bathroom." I was taught the sign that you use (to make a T and shake it). However, I've seen a couple people use the sign for "ready" as the sign for "restroom." Is this an alternate sign, or is it slang? Thanks!
Kellyann B.
Response:
Kellyann,
The sign "RESTROOM" is indeed part of ASL lexicon and is signed a bit differently than the sign for "READY."
RESTROOM bounces an R twice. After the first bounce it arcs up and to the outside a bit. (As if drawing the letter "n" in the air with the tip of an R-handshape).
-- Dr. Bill
Comment:
A member of the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group writes:
"I was corrected by an elder Deaf man at our (Deaf) church for using the "t" sign for bathroom to ask my toddler if she needed to go. He considers "r" the polite mixed-company expression. As he is born deaf and I am a hearing parent, I just thanked him for letting me know."
(Edited and name removed for privacy)
Response:
Thank you for sharing that!
RESTROOM is definitely part of ASL lexicon. All ASL interpreters should recognize the restroom sign.
The tidbit about the older Deaf person "correcting" the use of BATHROOM to instead be signed as RESTROOM in "polite mixed company" is a very precious bit of Deaf culture.
Factors:
1. The direction of the advice was from Deaf to Hearing.
2. The advice-giver was older and from a previous generation.
3. The environment (a church) was a place of reverence and decorum.
Interestingly, churches and office buildings tend to have restrooms (without a bathtub) whereas houses and apartments tend to have bathrooms (with a bathtub).
On some level the "mixed company" aspect of the advice (by the older Deaf person many have to do with a subconscious (or even conscious) awareness that the bathrooms in public / shared spaces generally don't have bathtubs.
I am not advocating here for or against the use of RESTROOM -- I'm simply savoring a small historical / cultural gem and mentioning that skilled terps should know the sign RESTROOM so they can recognize it when they see it.
https://youtu.be/_dvihXsQz2E
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